EASTRIP project significantly increases student enrollment at DIT

By The Respondent Reporter, Dar es Salaam

The East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) has enabled  Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) to significantly increase student enrollment from 800 to 1,500.

Speaking on November 13, 2024, in Dar es Salaam during a visit by  the World Bank and the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology team,  Dr. Joseph Matiku, the DIT Project Coordinator, said since the project's inception in 2018, the institution has doubled its enrollment capacity.

Dr. Matiku attributed the increased enrollment to the project's support in infrastructure development, the establishment of 20 new training programs, and the enhancement of existing ones to align with the skills required by the job market. He also highlighted regional collaborations facilitated by the project, such as student and teacher exchanges, with 20 students from DIT studying in Kenya and 20 Kenyan students attending  training at DIT.

Moreover, Dr. Matiku emphasized how the project has fostered partnerships between DIT and industries, resulting in the establishment of three laboratories for hands-on training and providing practical industry experience for both students and teachers. 

Dr. Fredrick Salukele, Director of Technical Education from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, stated that the EASTRIP project aims to increase enrollment, improve the quality of technical education, boost female participation in technical programs, and foster partnerships between technical institutions and the private sector. He noted that the project is being implemented in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

Four Flagship Centers of Excellence  are being established in three technical colleges under close collaboration with the Industry and Private sector in the specif areas through the sectir advisory commitees.

He listed the colleges as the Arusha Technical College (ATC), establishing  a Center of Excellence in Renewable Energy; the National Institute of Transport (NIT), focusing on Aerospace,  Transport and logistics Management and the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) in Dar es Salaam, developing a Center of Excellence in Information and Communication Technology; and Mwanza Campus,  establishing a Center of Excellence in Leather Technology.